Universal yarn spool holder

ABSTRACT

A yarn spool holder of unitary construction having a tapered Ushaped configuration with crossmembers secured to the rod on the creel by a wedging action thereby eliminating the use of setscrews, wrenches and the like for securing the holder on the rod and enabling the spool to be placed on the holder by employing only one hand. The present invention generally relates to a yarn spool holder for use in tufting machines.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Eugene E. Weaver 2,574,285 11/1951 Rea 242/1297 1334 sm s chau nog 'fe 3740 3,11 1,288 1 H1963 Weaver 242/1295 [21] Appl. No. 881,140 3,227,395 1/1966 Cocker,l1l 242/1295 [22] Filed 1969 Primary Examiner-Leonard D. Christian [45] Patented May 1971 Attorney-John B. Dickman, III

[54] UNIVERSAL YARN SPOOL HOLDER 7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

242/130, 21 1/125, 269/47 ABSTRACT: A yarn spool holder of unitary construction hav- [51] Int. Cl B65h 49/00 ing a tapered U-shaped configuration with crossmembers [50] Field 01 Search 242/683, secured to the rod on the creel by a wedging action thereby 129.5, 129.8, 130.4; 21 III, 125; 269/47, 52 eliminating the use of s etscrews, wrenches and the like for securing the holder on the rod and enabling the spool to be [56] Reterences and placed on the holder by employing only one hand.

UNITED STATES PATENTS The present invention generally relates to a yarn spool 2,252,625 8/1941 Glasbrook 242/129.7 holder for use in tuffing machines- 34 v l 5 24 Z6 I 32 x I l 20 I l J (I I f 30 l 3 34 /4 .Ll I 6 Patented May 25, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 A f ]TH 3 F In 24 Li Fi ffi"*-22 l 5s Z4 Z2 35 IN V EN TOR.

The present invention generally relates to a yarn spool holder for use in tufting machines.

Tufting machines utilize a large number of yarn packages or spools to supply the yarn to the multiple needles. The spools are supported by holders in a creel. One of the problems that exist is nonuniformity of the spools on which the yarn is packaged and difficulties in assembling the spool holders on the mounting rods and mounting the spools on the holders.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a yarn spool holder having a combined tapered and straight body telescopically receiving the core of the spool thus enabling one-handed installation of straight or tapered spools on the spool holder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spool holder having transverse mounting bars with a recess therein engaging opposite surfaces of the creel rod with the innermost bar having an inclined surface wedgingly engaging the rod thus enabling the holder to be frictionally mounted on or released from the creel rod by tapping on the holder thereby eliminating the use of setscrews and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spool holder which has a radius extending from the top to straight parallel sides at the lower end, with a bevel along each edge on four corners from the top to the bottom.

A further object is to provide a spool holder having bevelled edges and tapering from the top to a short distance from the bottom and adapted to handle many sizes of tapered spools and one size of straight spool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a yarn spool holder which is simple in construction, easy to use, efficient in use and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the yarn spool holder of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along section line 3-3 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along section line 44 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along section line 5-5 on FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along section line 6-6 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a modified form of the spool holder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the modification shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 7.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the yarn spool holder of the present invention is generally designated by numeral I0 and is mounted on the usual rod 12 in the creel of a tufting machine. The holder 10 includes a pair of parallel side members or legs 14 having a transversely rounded outer surface and terminating at one end in outwardly extending flanges 16. The other ends of legs 14 include inwardly converging portions 17 which join in a rounded end portion 18. The inner surface of the end portion 18 includes a reinforcing rib 20 formed thereon.

Extending between the legs 14 is a pair of spaced parallel bars 22 which have oppositely opening semicylindrical recesses 24 and 26 which engage with opposite surfaces of the rod 12 as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Extending between the converging portions 17 is a transverse bar 28 having a central laterally ogening recess 30 therein. As shown in FIG. 3, the recess 3 has an inclined wedge surface 32 to frictionally and wedgingly lock the holder releasably on the rod 12. For rigidity each of the transverse bars 22 have reinforcing gussets 34 where they join the side members of the holder.

In assembling the yarn holder on the rod fastened to the creel, the holder is inserted onto the rod until the recess in the outer crossbar comes into engagement therewith. This movement is continued until the recesses in the other crossbars engage the rod. The holder is locked in place by tapping on the outer end thereof by use of a wood mallet or similar implement thus wedgingly locking the yarn spool holder to the rod.

The spools 34 are all of the tapered" type, which is a conical shaped spool, and as can be seen in FIG. 7, any size of this type of spool can be accommodated on the holder, regardless of irregularities or roughness of manufacture. A spool 36 of the straight or cylindrical bore type, is shown also in FIG. 10. Only one size of the straight type can be accommodated on each holder, if a straight type with a different bore size is used, a holder of that size must be used.

It will be noted that the edges 38 of the holder that contact the inner portions of the spools are beveled for better and more secure fitting of the spools on the holder.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

I claim:

1. A yarn spool holder for use on a tufting machine having supporting rods therefor in the creel, said holder comprising a substantially U-shaped tapering body for telescopic reception in the core of a yarn spool and including spaced legs, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced crossbars extending between said legs, said crossbars having means thereon engaging opposite surfaces of a creel rod, the means on the inner of said bars including means frictionally locking the holder to the rod without the use of external fastening means.

2. The structure as defined in claim I wherein said means on each crossbar includes a curved recess engaging opposite surfaces of the rod.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the means on the inner of said bars includes a recess having an inclined surface for wedging engagement with the rod thereby releasably locking the holder on the rod.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said body and crossbars are of unitary one-piece construction.

5. A yarn spool holder as defined in claim 1 in which said U- shaped tapering body holds both straight and tapered spools.

6. A yarn spool holder as set forth in claim 5, in which the U-shaped tapering body holds several sizes of tapered spools.

7. A yarn spool holder as set forth in claim 6 in which the edges of the U-shaped tapering body that contact the spools are beveled. 

1. A yarn spool holder for use on a tufting machine having supporting rods therefor in the creel, said holder comprising a substantially U-shaped tapering body for telescopic reception in the core of a yarn spool and including spaced legs, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced crossbars extending between said legs, said crossbars having means thereon engaging opposite surfaces of a creel rod, the means on the inner of said bars including means frictionally locking the holder to the rod without the use of external fastening means.
 2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means on each crossbar includes a curved recess engaging opposite surfaces of the rod.
 3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the means on the inner of said bars includes a recess having an inclined surface for wedging engagement with the rod thereby releasably locking the holder on the rod.
 4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said body and crossbars are of unitary one-piece construction.
 5. A yarn spool holder as defined in claim 1 in which said U-shaped tapering body holds both straight and tapered spools.
 6. A yarn spool holder as set forth in claim 5, in which the U-shaped tapering body holds several sizes of tapered spools.
 7. A yarn spool holder as set forth in claim 6 in which the edges of the U-shaped tapering body that contact the spools are beveled. 